Image: PA Wire
Faizel Patel – 29/07/2021
A court has revoked WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange‘s Ecuadorian citizenship.
Ecuador’s justice system formally notified the Australian that his naturalisation had been nullified.
Ecuadorian authorities said Assange’s supporting letter had multiple inconsistencies, different signatures, the possible alteration of documents and unpaid fees, among other issues.
Assange is currently imprisoned in London’s high-security Belmarsh prison as the United States seeks his extradition.
Speaking to Radio Islam, independent political analyst Dr Dale McKinley says the revoking of Assange’s citizenship was a result of domestic Ecuadorian politics and the pressure by the US government on Ecuador and other countries hand over the WikiLeaks founder.
Dr. McKinley says the lower courts are agreeing with Assange not be extradited.
“Last year the extradition was attempted and he went to court in the UK to basically say that if he got extradited and the procedural rights were going to be violated and it would be wrong. The lower court agreed with him, so they basically stopped his extradition. That is now being appealed by the United States Government by a higher court in the UK.”
Dr. McKinley says Assange’s fate is dependent on the UK’s court ruling.
“if the higher court overturns the extradition ban then he’s probably going to be extradited to the United States and the likelihood is he’ll go through a trial and end up being convicted and end up spending the rest of his life in prison.”
Dr, McKinley says if the UK Judiciary stays the extradition ban, Assange will remain in prison facing lesser charges and completing a lesser sentence.
Listen to the interview with Dr. Dale McKinley
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